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בָּלָה

𐤁𐤋𐤄

bâlâh

H1086 verb

SILEX Entry

Root בלה to wear out, to become old, to decay, to use up

Definition

To wear out, become old or worn through use or the passage of time; can refer to material objects (such as clothing or goods) or to people in the figurative sense of aging or decaying. Also used in causative forms (piel, hiphil) to express causing something to wear out, use up, or consume.

Semantic Range

to wear out (physically, of garments or objects); to decay or deteriorate; to become old or aged (of people or things); to use up or exhaust (causative); to consume; to spend (time, resources); to endure a long duration (by implication)

Root / Etymology

From the root בלה, which communicates the sense of wearing away, becoming old or exhausted through use or time. The root concept is 'to wear out, decline, fade away,' from physical use or from age.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בָּלָה occurs primarily in poetic, wisdom, and legal texts. In narrative contexts, the term most often conveys the physical deterioration or wearing out of clothing or other materials (e.g., Deut 8:4; Neh 9:21), referencing sustained use or divine preservation from decay. In wisdom literature (notably Job and Psalms), it can be metaphorically extended to persons, describing the effects of suffering, grief, or the passage of time (Job 13:28). The causative forms (e.g., piel or hiphil aspects) indicate actively using up or causing to wear out, as with consuming resources or exhausting strength (Isa 65:22; Lam 3:4). In legal or ritual contexts, the absence of בלה (“worn out”) is noted as an indicator of preservation or blessing. English translations such as 'wear out,' 'decay,' 'become old,' and 'consume' do not always capture the nuanced distinctions between gradual decline and active usage. Distinct from terms like חָדָשׁ (ḥadash, 'new') or אָבַד (ʾābad, 'perish, be lost'), בלה specifically emphasizes slow deterioration from continued use or age, rather than sudden destruction or complete disappearance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend); consume, enjoy long, become (make, wax) old, spend, waste.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בלה (b-l-h) — to wear out, to become old, to decay, to use up

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1077 בַּל not at all
H1079 בָּל not at all
H1080 בְּלָא he will wear down
H1087 בָּלֶה worn-out ones
H1088 בָּלָה and Balah

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1086-06 בָֽלְתָה֙ valetah HVqp3fs has-worn-out she has worn out 2
H1086-01 בָּל֕וּ balu HVqp3cp wasted away they wore out 2
H1086-07 בָל֤וּ valu HVqp3cp have-worn-out they wore out 2
H1086-11 יִבְל֔וּ yivelu HVqi3mp will wear out they will wear out 2
H1086-05 תִּבְלֶ֔ה tiveleh HVqi3fs will wear out she will wear out 1
H1086-03 לְ/בַלּ֥וֹת levalot HR/Vpc to consume to wear out 1
H1086-12 יבלו yvlv HVpi3mp they wear out they wear out 1
H1086-09 יְבַלּ֥וּ yevalu HVpi3mp they-will-wear-out they will wear out 1
H1086-02 בִּלָּ֤ה bilah HVpp3ms He has made worn out he wore out 1
H1086-08 בְלֹתִ/י֙ veloti HVqc/Sp1cs I have become old my wearing out 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1086-08 Genesis 18:12 בְלֹתִ/י֙ veloti HVqc/Sp1cs I have become old my wearing out
H1086-06 Deuteronomy 8:4 בָֽלְתָה֙ valetah HVqp3fs wore out she has worn out
H1086-07 Deuteronomy 29:4 בָל֤וּ valu HVqp3cp have-worn-out they wore out
H1086-06 Deuteronomy 29:4 בָלְתָ֖ה valetah HVqp3fs has-worn-out she has worn out
H1086-01 Joshua 9:13 בָּל֕וּ balu HVqp3cp are worn out they wore out
H1086-11 Isaiah 50:9 יִבְל֔וּ yivelu HVqi3mp will wear out they will wear out
H1086-05 Isaiah 51:6 תִּבְלֶ֔ה tiveleh HVqi3fs will wear out she will wear out
H1086-09 Isaiah 65:22 יְבַלּ֥וּ yevalu HVpi3mp they-will-wear-out they will wear out
H1086-01 Psalms 32:3 בָּל֣וּ balu HVqp3cp wasted away they wore out
H1086-03 Psalms 49:15 לְ/בַלּ֥וֹת levalot HR/Vpc to consume to wear out
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